Bed (NaLu)
by Pepin-Bones
Summary: This was it. She had had it. She just couldn't take it anymore! She was finally going to do something about it! When Lucy can no longer handle the fire dragon slayer interrupting her sleep, she comes up with an interesting solution. NaLu
1. Sleep

Sleep. Sleep was a wonderful thing. It was necessary, it was welcomed, it was calming. Well, it was _supposed_ to be. Lucy Heartfilia normally slept like a rock, exhausted after her jobs as a celestial mage, often physically worn out after whatever adventures she and her team had gone on. If that wasn't the case, it was mental exhaustion from working on her book and dealing with the constant bickering and fighting and general ruckus that entailed being around her friends and a member of Fairy Tail. That was fine. She loved her life and she would not change it for the world. What was so frustrating and had changed her sleep from peaceful to restless and from comfortable to cramped was her partner, her best friend, and the man she happened to love but could not say so.

Natsu Dragneel had captured her heart as easily as he defeated Bora the first day they met. Granted it had taken her plenty of time for her feelings of friendship to morph into something else, end even longer for her to realize that what she felt for him was more than just friendly; that she cared for him more than anyone, and that she wanted him to feel the same way, but it didn't change the fact that she could not and _would not_ say so to him. Admitting such a thing to _Natsu_ , the man who was still very much a boy, was unthinkable. She doubted he understood what love even meant. What scared her even more was the possibility that admitting her feelings could harm their relationship – _their friendship_. Natsu was her best friend and he had been with her since the beginning – he was the reason she joined Fairy Tail in the first place. He was the person she looked to in her time of need and the person he came to when he was in need… No, she couldn't risk changing that.

Regardless, Natsu was the reason she can't sleep. His nasty habit of breaking into her apartment and sneaking into her bed had only gotten worse as time went on. It used to only happen sporadically (at least the sneaking into her bed part). He would crash unexpectedly after long jobs, after staying too late at the guild, or before they needed to leave early in the morning. Now, it was nearly an every night occurrence. And even if she kicked him out, he would just wait for her to fall back asleep and sneak right back in! It was infuriating! Her twin-sized bed wasn't meant for two people! At least, two people who could not and _should not_ touch so intimately in the middle of the night!

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became, her brow furrowing in agitation as she squeezed her eyes shut, _willing_ sleep to come, _forcing_ her body to be comfortable with the overwhelming presence of Natsu at her back. The fire dragon slayer moved a lot in his sleep, throwing his limbs about without a care in the world. She always ended up with either his arm across her waist or his legs entangled in hers. One morning she woke up to his face buried in her neck! _Her neck!_ And yet, she couldn't move without fear of touching him inappropriately either. She was just as guilty of waking up with her arm thrown across his chest, or her hand brushing against his thigh or butt while trying to get comfortable. Things were definitely getting too close for comfort and she had to increase the distance.

Of course while she suffered in silence he was sound asleep, snoring softly, an arm draped casually over her waist. If she moved her legs at all, they brushed against his. If she moved her hips at all, she brushed against him in a very intimate manner. If she shifted her shoulders, his grip on her would tighten, as though he were afraid she was leaving. _Why would I think that's the reason his grip tightens?! I must be going crazy! Of course I am, I haven't slept properly in days!_

Her eyes snapped open as she finally let out a pent up sigh. She wanted to roll over, she _needed_ to roll over. Her hip and shoulder were sore from lying in the same position for too long, but rolling over meant _facing_ Natsu, who happened to be sleeping without his shirt on – another more recent change in his sleeping habits. _Facing_ him while they were both in such a confined space in such limited clothing was _too_ inappropriate! Her cheeks warmed at the thought, her heart rate picking up as the warmth in her cheeks spread to her heart and belly, pooling warmly there and inexplicably making her want to smile, but she willed such wanton thoughts away. _No! That's the lack of sleep talking!_

"Natsu," she grumbled, wiggling her shoulders and hips in an effort to shrug his arm off. He simply snored in response. _How can someone with such good senses sleep so damn hard?!_ She fumed, her face growing even warmer as now her ears felt hot. "Natsu," she tried again, louder this time. "Come on, move over."

"Mmmnnggghhhh," he groaned, his arm around her waist tightening. He shifted, burying his face in her hair.

"No!" she cried, pushing on his arm. "Natsu, let go and move over!"

In her struggling, her hips moved back and bumped low into Natsu's hips. Although he didn't react, she froze, the intimate contact causing her blood to boil and yet freeze at the same time. His mouth was near her ear, his hot breath caressing her skin and emanating down her neck. _I need to just kick him out,_ she grumbled inwardly. She always faced this inner dilemma lately – the want for sleep and so the need to kick him out, and yet the desire to remain close to him. "Damn it," she sighed, her grip on his forearm relaxing somewhat.

Seriously contemplating giving up, Lucy relaxed for a moment until the ache in her hip resurfaced. They had just returned from a rather tough job, and had walked much of the way thanks to Natsu's motion sickness. While defeating the robbers and dark guild had not been as difficult as it _could_ have been, they had all received their fair share of injuries and were all still in the process of healing, despite Wendy's treatments – she was healing as well.

"Natsu," she whined, allowing a high-pitched whimper to enter her voice, "you're hurting me."

It was as if she had said some magical words. Natsu's grip on her immediately relaxed and he all but threw himself back from her. "Luce?" he asked, his voice fraught with concern.

Free of his confining hold, Lucy inhaled deeply before exhaling. "Oh, thank Mavis," she breathed, before rolling over and stretching to loosen up her sore muscles by throwing her arms over her head and arching her back as she extended her legs. Everything stretched and lengthened – it felt so wonderful she couldn't help but groan.

Once she finished her full body stretch, and she opened her eyes, Lucy gasped. Natsu's wide and concerned eyes bore into hers, a hidden light practically glowing from them in the darkness. _Oh crap, he saw that!_ She cursed her actions for her stupidity and smiled crookedly. "I needed that."

Natsu was tense as he pressed himself into the wall, as though trying to distance himself from her as much as possible, but still looking at her with worry. He was holding himself up with one hand while the other braced against the wall at his back. His legs were bent as though he were ready to spring forward at a moment's notice. It was as though he hadn't just been dead asleep a moment before. "What happened?" he ground out, his voice rough with sleep.

Realizing he was probably just as exhausted as she was, and she had just given him quite the show, Lucy sighed and wriggled to get comfortable once more. "You were squeezing me too tight," she murmured, finding it impossible to meet his eyes as she pulled the blanket up tightly over her shoulder. "I couldn't move." When she finally forced herself to look back up at him, she gasped softly at the darkness in his already tan cheeks. There was just enough moonlight coming through her bedroom window to perfectly illuminate his features, sharp and handsome in the darkness. _Stop thinking of him as handsome!_

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered, not relaxing in the slightest.

Seeing him so distraught made her heart ache. Although she had wanted his distance to be more comfortable, now that she had it, he felt too far away. _It's just because he looks so nervous, like he's trying to disappear into the wall,_ she told herself. She shook her head softly, trying to clear her already disturbed thoughts before resting her head back down. "I'm fine, Natsu. Really. Now stop acting so weird and go back to sleep." She wriggled into the pillow once more, one arm beneath her head and the other in front of her, her legs slightly bent with her top leg forward of the bottom so that it rested on the bed – the same position she had been in just on the other side. Once she was comfortable, the blanket securely pulled high around her, she sighed and closed her eyes.

 _Who said I'm acting weird?!_ "You sure?" Natsu asked, his voice soft as she felt the bed shift under his weight. He was situating himself beside her again, no longer pressing himself tightly against the wall.

"Mmmhmm," she sighed, the corners of her lips pulling up into a smile as she nodded. "Just tired."

Scooting just a little bit closer, but still not as close as he wanted, Natsu flopped onto his back, his arm closest to the wall extended and the one closest to Lucy carefully laid across his stomach. He tried to be careful not to touch her, as much as he hated to force such constraints on himself. Being with Lucy had never been awkward before, but then he started to notice the way her eyes shone a little bit differently, like there was a hidden light glowing within her. He found himself noticing and watching every little move she made, reveling in the sound of her voice, especially the musical sound of her laughter. Even her scent was different, drawing him to her more than ever and making him feel things he had never felt before. Although they were already together often, he wanted to spend _even more_ time with her. It was why he started sneaking into her bed more often, even though being _in_ the bed with her suddenly felt very disconcerting; that and simply being alone with her suddenly brought out a new sense of insecurity in him. _Why does everything feel so different,_ he mused.

Despite her earlier annoyance, Lucy sighed in contentment as Natsu's heat washed over her from beneath the blankets without smothering her. The warmth that radiated from his body as a result of his fire dragon slayer heritage had proven a problem at first – sometimes it was stifling, especially when it was already hot outside and in the apartment. She tried to make up for the increased heat by sleeping in shorts and a tank top, no matter what the weather was like outside, but as of late, she found that only added to her discomfort. Little did she know, it made Natsu uncomfortable as well, as he was now acutely aware of the softness of her skin, which called to him at night, begging for his touch – yet he was terrified of touching too much. _Damn it! Why am I so conflicted?! I just yelled at him to get off me, and here I am, wanting him back! I'm such a hypocrite,_ she chastised herself.

"Good night, Luce. Weirdo," Natsu whispered after a short period of tense silence passed between them.

Lucy's eyes opened a crack. Moving them was like moving hundred pound weights and she had to fight through the mental fog of partial sleep. Without thinking, she scooted closer, her knee barely brushing against his thigh. "Night, Natsu."

A soft smile graced Natsu's lips as he looked at the celestial spirit mage, his partner, his best friend, out of the corner of his eye. _She's so adorable when she's sleeping…_ He sighed, allowing his body to relax as his eyes drifted closed once more.

When Lucy next awoke, she groaned, realizing her and Natsu's legs were tangled together. She wasn't sure how long they had been asleep, but the room was still perfectly dark and the sky didn't show any hint of lightening outside her window. Once she became more aware of herself, and the hair in her face began to annoy her, she moved to brush her hair out of her face and froze when she realized what she'd just brushed against and just how close she was to Natsu. _Crap! Please tell me he didn't feel that!_ She screamed in her head, her cheeks turning as red as Erza's hair as she mentally also made note that Natsu's rear was incredibly firm – just like the rest of him. _Stop it! I can't think like that!_

Before she could mentally break herself from the momentary spell, she let herself admire the sleeping fire dragon slayer. For once he was still, calm even, and peaceful. It was almost like Natsu never stopped moving. He never stopped trying to fight or eat. He was fiercely protective and loyal, yes, but there was a playfulness to him that she didn't see in anyone else. She knew his inner pain more than anyone (except perhaps Happy), and she was honored he had chosen to share such burdens with her. The strong back and shoulders before her, the messy and spiky salmon-colored hair in front of her, didn't seem to belong to someone who carried such heavy concerns and pain with the appearance of such a light heart. It made her want to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

"Stop it, Lucy," she murmured to herself, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. _I can't do that, not when he's sleeping. That wouldn't be right. And if he knew I felt sorry for him, he'd just be upset._ Despite her inner arguments, Lucy scooted a tiny bit closer, pulling her legs from his gently, and placed one hand on his back. There was no reaction to her touch, reaffirming his status as sound asleep. _I don't want you to hurt, Natsu. I want to make you happy. I want to see that smile of yours all the time, because I care about you…_

Just as Lucy was mentally confessing her feelings, Natsu groaned in his sleep and rolled over, doing a complete 180 and turning onto his side so he was facing her. As if on cue, his heavy arm came crashing down on her waist, forcing her to exhale with a huff just as his leg draped over hers. She was trapped. "Oh come on!" she grumbled, not even bothering to keep herself quiet as she pushed against him.

"Go to sleep, Weirdo," Natsu whispered, his mouth surprisingly close to her ear.

"Natsu?!" she shrieked. "Are you awake?"

He didn't answer, which meant he wasn't, and she sighed. Somehow she was both relieved and annoyed that it had been Natsu's subconscious doing the work for him. She was grateful, for that meant he hadn't felt her touch his back…

"Luce smells so nice," he whispered sleepily, nuzzling her hair.

Lucy froze and then kicked his leg off of hers. _Did he really just say that?!_ She sighed. Despite their close proximity, _too close_ , she thought to herself, she _was_ comfortable. Although Natsu had practically punched her with the force of throwing his arm over her, it was now a comfortable weight at her waist, now that she'd removed his leg. His warmth surrounded her without suffocating her, and she was no longer in a painful position. With a sigh, she placed one hand on Natsu's chest, almost as though she were holding him at bay, and allowed her eyes to drift closed. "Shut up," she whispered.

She was awoken again, not long after, when she felt like she was being smothered. Natsu had (again) partially rolled in his sleep, pinning her beneath his chest while one leg made its way back between hers. Her arm was asleep and his hair was tickling her nose, but what was most concerning was how close his face was to her chest, his breath tickling between her breasts. "Natsu," she grumbled, attempting to shove him off as her entire body flushed in embarrassment.

He was dead weight in her arms, her movements moving his leg between hers until it touched high up between her thighs. "Eee!" she squealed, and dropped him, grunting with the sudden change in weight once more. "Natsu! Get off!" she cried.

His eyes barely fluttered. "What are you screaming about?" he growled.

"Get off me!"

His eyes slowly opened wider and he picked his head up from where it had been resting on her chest. He immediately started laughing. "Why? You're comfortable, Luce!"

She glared, seriously debating slapping him. "I'm glad you're so comfortable, Natsu, because you're suffocating me."

Without dropping the smile, he withdrew and flopped onto his other side. "You're cranky."

"Of course I'm cranky! This is the third time _tonight_ you've woken me up!"

He stilled for a moment before turning to look at her over his shoulder, his brows low and skeptical. "Really?"

She put a foot in his back and pushed, increasing the distance between them as much as she could – she also ended up pushing herself backwards and nearly off the edge of the bed. Natsu grunted but otherwise didn't complain. "Really!"

Shrugging, he rolled back over, facing the wall once more. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Seething, Lucy ground her teeth. "Damn it, Natsu! Get out!"

"What?! Why?" He sat up now, the blankets pooling around his waist, forgotten. Lucy had to mentally check herself to keep from looking down.

"I just told you why! This bed isn't big enough for the both of us when _you_ try to take up the whole damn thing! Now get out!"

She was shouting loud enough to hurt his sensitive dragon slayer ears, but Natsu didn't want to leave. He loved Lucy's bed. He loved sharing it _with Lucy_. He didn't want to leave, even if she was yelling at him. "Come on, Luce. It's just for a little bit longer."

"No!" She threw the blankets back, at her limit and no longer caring if her screaming woke up the whole neighborhood. "Get out before I _make you get out!_ "

Rightfully fearing a Lucy Kick, Natsu crept from the bed and made his way to the couch, grumbling and muttering curses beneath his breath the entire time. The moment he flopped onto the couch, she collapsed into the middle of the bed, sprawling out with a smile on her lips as she repositioned herself comfortably. _"Finally!"_ she sighed.

Natsu lay on the couch, an arm behind his head, waiting for the sound of Lucy's breathing to change as she drifted into sleep. He knew he wasn't easy to sleep with – Happy had complained to him more than once about being kicked when sleeping at his feet – but he didn't sleep well when he didn't sleep with Lucy. It was the other reason why his once rare visits to her bed had grown so frequent, despite her adamant disapproval. To appease her, he tried to fall asleep on the couch, but sleep wouldn't come, no matter how he positioned himself. And so, once her breathing had changed to the deep and even breathing of sleep, he cautiously rose from the couch and slipped back under the covers, careful not to disturb her this time as he joined her once more. "Night, Luce," he whispered, a soft smile curling the corners of his lips.


	2. Solution

Lucy awoke to the caress of the morning sun on her face. She groaned contentedly and tried to snuggle deeper into her pillow, wanting to prolong her sleep, but something was wrong with her pillow – it was too firm. Her eyes snapped open and her heart leapt into her throat at the close proximity of Natsu's blissfully sleeping features. She was curled up at his side, using his arm and chest as a pillow, with _her_ arm draped across _his_ belly and _her_ leg thrown over _his_! For once _she_ was the one invading _his_ space! With a sharp gasp, she pushed herself back, bracing off of his chest so that the motion woke him up.

"Morning," he greeted with a lazy smile.

"What are you doing back in the bed?!"

He pointedly looked at where her arm was still over his. He could feel her leg still close against his beneath the blankets, not that he minded – he slept best when they were close like this. "Doesn't look like you minded."

Lucy turned red, starting from her neck and working up to the crown of her head. She opened her mouth to lash him with a smart retort but nothing came out except for a small, strangled sound. She tried again, only managing small grunts before throwing the blankets back and stomping into the bathroom. She needed a shower!

As the hot water pounded over Lucy's tense shoulders, she continued to seethe. Natsu had aggravated her before, but this was a whole new level. This was it. She had had it. She just couldn't take it anymore! She was finally going to do something about it! This was what she kept telling herself throughout her shower and as she got ready for the day. Natsu looked well rested (albeit worried over her apparent anger) while she looked haggard and tired. It took a lot of makeup and coffee to change that.

They made their way to the guild in grudging silence, Lucy giving Natsu the cold shoulder and Natsu not fully understanding what her problem was. Lucy used their nearly silent walk to brainstorm solutions to their problem – there was no way she could take another restless night in the confines of her bed. But, things as they were, she couldn't blame Natsu for all of it, and so her anger with him quickly dissipated and she was able to come up with what she considered a solution.

Once they made it to the guild, Natsu immediately made his way to the bar to get some breakfast, while Lucy looked for someone in particular, smiling once she found her. She had a plan firmly in place in her mind as she approached her blue-haired best female friend, her hands clasped behind her back nervously.

Levy looked up from the book she was reading with a smile. "Lu-chan!" she cheered.

Lucy smiled nervously and collapsed into the seat across from Levy. She let out her breath in a huff, her eyes darting around them to make sure they were alone. Gajeel was known to loiter around Levy, but thankfully he was nowhere to be found. Natsu was also otherwise engaged, arguing with Gray across the hall while he shoveled food into his mouth since Lucy had refused to feed him. "Levy, I need your help," she whispered, ever conscious of Natsu's dragon senses.

Immediately sensing Lucy's anxiety, Levy leaned across the table, her eyes sparkling with mischief and intrigue over her glasses. "With what?"

"I need to go shopping."

One of Levy's eyebrows rose. "Okay. What's so urgent about that? We can go shopping any time."

Lucy wrung her hands in her lap. Levy was the only person who would understand her predicament – it was why she chose to come to her. Even so, it was difficult to admit to herself, let alone _say out loud!_ "Not that kind of shopping," she quietly corrected.

Levy's eyebrow lowered into a furrow. "I don't understand."

Sighing in exasperation, Lucy threw her hands into the air before dropping them into her lap. Her eyes searched the guild hall for the reason of her discomfort and secret pleasure. "I need a new bed," she murmured so quietly Levy almost couldn't hear her.

"What? Why?" was Levy's confused reply. She blinked in confusion, finally pulling the glasses from her face when she realized she would not be getting much reading done. "What's wrong with the one you have? It's not that old."

Her entire face warming, Lucy went back to wringing her hands in her lap and toying with the hem of her skirt – anything to keep from looking Levy in the eye. "It's… too small," she admitted in a soft whisper.

"Too…small?!" Levy gasped, the pieces finally falling into place. "Lucy!" she shrieked.

"Lev!" Lucy cried, her face lighting up as the entire guild fell silent and looked at them.

"Hey!" Natsu cried from across the room. He had heard the two girls whispering but hadn't been paying attention until Levy shrieked and Lucy shouted. "What's going on?" he asked, making his way to their booth with Gray and Erza hot on his heels.

"Is something wrong?" Erza asked, her hands clenched into protective fists.

Lucy wanted to curl up into a tiny ball, shrivel up, and disappear. She couldn't look any of them in the eye, but especially avoided looking at Natsu. "We're fine!" Levy thankfully countered with a smile.

Easily picking up on Lucy's nervousness, Natsu's brow furrowed. He didn't like seeing her upset. "You don't look fine."

"We are!" Lucy finally joined the conversation, reluctantly turning her blushing face in his direction so that their eyes met. Deep green met brown and she wanted to melt, despite her (or perhaps because of her) embarrassment and their earlier tension. "In fact, we were just leaving!" She jumped to her feet, grabbed Levy's hand, and bolted for the door.

"Where are you going?" Gray asked, just as confused as the rest of them.

"Shopping!" Lucy answered, cringing when she realized she said too much.

"Hold on a minute! I'm coming!"

Lucy stopped the moment she heard Erza's voice. She loved Erza. She was the loving but violent older sister she never had. The time they spent together on jobs encompassed some of her fondest memories. But she couldn't have Erza knowing what she was doing. She especially couldn't have her knowing _why._

"You know what?" Levy answered, pulling her arm free from Lucy's grasp. "I have a better idea!" Paling, Lucy stared at Levy with eyes that pleaded for her to come with her – pleaded for her to stop whatever madness had developed in that brilliant mind of hers. Levy saw the look and understood it, but ignored it, giving Mira a side-look that made her smile. "Mira's making some of her special cake, Erza. Why don't we stay here and have some? Natsu can go with Lucy."

"What?!" Lucy cried.

"What?" Natsu asked, his eyes wide and confused.

"Really?" Erza inquired, immediately turning back to the bar before she stopped. "If you're sure about this, Lucy."

Lucy had to swallow past the lump of nervousness in her throat before she could speak and even then, she wasn't sure she could trust her voice or the sounds that might come out of her mouth. "Sure," she squeaked. "N-Natsu?" she asked, hating the fact that her hands were shaking.

Natsu rolled his eyes. Usually when Lucy went shopping, he got dragged from store to store, waiting and finding mundane ways to occupy his time while she shopped and looked at items, but then wouldn't buy them. What she did buy, he inevitably ended up carrying. About the only thing that made shopping with her worthwhile was the food she always bought him to make up for his patience, and how happy she would be. Her smile made it all worth it. But she'd been so mad at him all morning… "Sure," he shrugged anyway.

 _Shit!_

"You guys have fun!" Levy called, stepping back from her conversation with Gray and Erza. Lucy wanted to know just what she was telling them, but part of her also was afraid to know. And so, she smiled weakly when Natsu met her at the door and they headed into town.

"What are you looking for?" Natsu finally asked as the first shops finally came into view.

"I have something particular in mind," Lucy admitted, careful not to look at him as he walked with his hands behind his head. His vest naturally parted open even further than normal with that motion and she couldn't help but admire his toned physique, but she didn't want _him_ to see her doing that, so she kept her eyes averted.

"Like what?" he asked, bringing his hands down to his sides so he could walk closer to her now that his interest was piqued.

A blush tinted Lucy's cheeks as she scanned the windows that they were passing. She caught sight of their reflection in them and couldn't help but smile. Natsu was looking either ahead or to their right, apparently not looking at her either. They were walking close together, closer than they normally did – but still weren't touching. An unease had settled in the air around them and followed them as they walked, a result of their fight earlier in the morning, and settling tension in Lucy's shoulders and a furrow in Natsu's brow. Despite their obvious discomfort, she really rather liked the image the reflection presented her. "You'll see when we get there," she finally teased, her lips curling up in a smile. She had, after all, arrived at a solution that would benefit both of them.

Scowling, Natsu folded his arms across his chest. "Awe, come on, Luce!"

Lucy shook her head, her smile growing. "Nope." Natsu's scowl turned into a growl and Lucy felt a shiver run down her spine. " _You_ agreed to come shopping with _me_ , remember?"

Still pouting, Natsu shifted his steely gaze from her. "Fine," he spat.

"I promise you'll enjoy it," she added, deciding to sweeten the deal.

His lips pursing to the side, Natsu pondered her meaning. "Okay," he finally said with a shrug, giving up on figuring out her meaning, but still interested.

They walked for several more minutes in companionable silence. Once Lucy caught the sign of the mattress store, she subconsciously started walking slower. Her heart started pounding in her chest as it constricted, keeping her from taking deep enough breaths. Her stomach clenched and she was suddenly very glad she hadn't eaten breakfast. _What's he going to think?!_

When they finally reached the store and Lucy turned to head inside, Natsu looked up at the sign and blinked, his mouth slightly agape as he followed his blonde partner inside. She clasped her hands at her back, something he knew she did when she was nervous, and spun on her toes to face him. "I'm getting a new bed!" she exclaimed, smiling so much that her eyes were shut, but he could see the blush in her cheeks, slowly spreading to her neck and her ears.

 _Why is she blushing?! And why does it make me feel all warm inside?!_ "Why?" he asked, not realizing Levy had asked the exact same thing.

"W-w-well… uh… we…" she stuttered and shook her head, clenching her hands into such tight fists at her back that her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands painfully. "Mine's too small!" she finally blurted, before pressing her lips together so tightly they resembled a thin line.

"Too small?" Natsu asked, his brow furrowed as he put his hand to his chin. It was a position Lucy was rather fond of for him – it made him look more mature and thoughtful than she ever saw him.

Lucy playfully slapped his arm. "You idiot! Don't you remember anything from last night?!" His eyes widened at her words, making her gasp softly as her cheeks darkened. Forcing herself to move away from the door and the source of all of her discomfort, Lucy added, "If you're going to keep staying over, I need a bigger bed."

Natsu stopped in his tracks. _Bigger bed?_ "What's wrong with the one you have?"

Lucy rolled her eyes before she turned back around. She was both surprised and yet grateful that no one had come up to help them yet. "I already told you, Natsu. It's too small. I can't sleep well."

"Since when?" he argued.

"Since you started coming in my bed at all hours of the night! The thing is _not_ made for two people!"

 _I think it's just fine,_ he wanted to say, but wouldn't allow himself. He couldn't say such a thing to Lucy and risk her running away, or worse, rejecting him and ending their friendship then and there. Instead of arguing, he averted his eyes. "I'm sorry, Luce. I didn't know." _Because I sleep the best when I'm_ in _your bed._

The sadness in Natsu's face tore at Lucy's heart. She _was_ being honest with him – it was nearly impossible to get a good night's sleep with Natsu crammed into her tiny bed with her – and she _had_ told him so last night. But at the same time, she couldn't stand to see such a dejected look on his face, and she didn't really want him to sleep away from her either. "It's okay. Just help me pick out a new one now, okay?"

His smile returning, Natsu nodded and took her hand, pulling her forward. "All right! Let's find us a bed, Luce!"

Her blush returning at his choice of words, Lucy allowed herself a small smile as he led her forward.


	3. Shopping

_Awe, man! This is going to hurt my wallet!_ Lucy whined internally as they passed bed after bed, the price going up with the size of the mattress. Honestly, part of her felt she shouldn't be the only one having to pay for the bed, especially since she wasn't the only one who used it, but so far Natsu had said nothing and she wasn't sure what to say, so she kept her mouth shut.

"Can I help you two find anything?" a salesman with orange hair and brown eyes asked as he approached them with a gentle smile.

 _Crap! He's going to think we're a couple!_ Inside, Lucy was freaking out, screaming and wanting to pull her hair out at their predicament. Outside, she calmly smiled and nodded. "Yes, please. We're looking for a bigger bed."

The salesman nodded, not losing his smile despite her extremely vague response. Lucy noticed the subtle, but not subtle enough, check of her barren ring finger and had to resist the urge to bristle defensively. "All right. What size do you have now?"

"A twin."

Surprise flashed in the man's eyes before he suppressed it. "And did you have a bigger size in mind?"

 _Crap! I didn't think this through well enough! I didn't think this would be this hard with Levy! Why is it so hard with Natsu?!_

"Not too big, not too small," Natsu answered, saving her from eternal embarrassment. He would never admit it, but he wanted to be close to her when they slept. He wanted to touch her when he was sleeping, whether it was holding her or just brushing against her with a hand or a foot, although he preferred being closer than that. He needed reassurance that she was there and that she was safe. It was why he didn't mind the twin, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Let's have a look at some of the queen beds then," the salesman offered with a slightly bigger smile and an extended hand. "Come with me."

"You sound like Goldilocks," Lucy chastised the moment she was back at Natsu's side. Natsu simply smiled and shrugged, earning him a sideways smile from Lucy that warmed his chest.

When they got to the queen bed section, Natsu managed to get the salesman to leave them alone, insisting they would try the beds out and find him if they had any questions. Lucy was surprised by his calm demeanor, but was actually very grateful for it. He was making the whole experience a lot less stressful than it could have been. When she smiled at him in thanks, he smiled and dipped his head in return before they separated, moving to check out beds.

"Hey, Luce!" Natsu called just a moment later, bringing Lucy to her feet from the bed she had been laying on – it was as hard as the floor. "Come try this one!"

Lucy followed Natsu's voice and smiled when she found him spread out on a bed, his arms and legs spread wide with a happy grin on his face. "You look comfy," she commented, cocking her head to the side.

Cracking an eye open, Natsu pulled in his limbs to give her some room. "Try it."

Feeling her cheeks warm, Lucy climbed onto the bed beside him and lay down with a pleasant sigh. The moment she laid on the bed, her body felt comfortable and weightless. There were no pressure points on the bed, no springs hitting places it shouldn't. The bed contoured to fit the curve at her back and accommodate the curves of her hips. Before she knew it, her eyes drifted closed and she sighed again, her arms falling loosely to her sides. "I like it," she breathed.

Beside her, Natsu rolled and pushed himself up on his elbow. She hardly felt a thing, but she was aware of his gaze on her. Even so, she kept her eyes shut and bit her tongue to keep from blushing nervously. "Is me sleeping with you really that big of a problem?" he whispered after some time, his body trembling out of nervousness.

Lucy's eyes snapped open. "What?!"

Natsu looked down, drawing circles on the mattress with his finger. He wanted to run his finger along her skin, but decided against it. "You don't sleep well because of me. You're buying a new bed because of me. You kick me out or yell at me when I come into your bed." His words admitted that he remembered everything from the previous night, and he forced himself to look into her eyes – eyes that were wide and surprised, and yet the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. "Is it really that bad?"

"Natsu," Lucy breathed, seeing the hurt on his face once more. It was so unusual to see him hurting because of his own feelings – any time he hurt it was for his friends. "That's not why." She sucked in a breath for courage. "If it was that big of a problem, I wouldn't be buying a new bed and _encouraging_ the behavior in doing so, now would I?"

His brow furrowed as he allowed his hand to move closer. Lucy shivered, feeling the heat radiating from him. "So you're not going to kick me out or yell at me?"

Her lower lip found its way between her teeth and Lucy shook her head rather than speak. Her heart was pounding so fiercely in her chest, she felt it radiate down into her belly, which was clenched so tightly she thought she might choke or puke, or both. Natsu had never looked at her the way he was then, his eyes soft and caring and open, and _nervous_. "No," she breathed, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm. "I'm done kicking you out."

His face lit up as his eyes sparked, a warm tightness forming in his chest. "Seriously?"

Now she nodded. "Seriously." Pulling her eyes from his, she patted the mattress and ran her hands over it. "Now, how do you feel about this one?"

Flopping back down, Natsu smiled, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The way Lucy had said she had to get a new bed had struck him as her disapproval and reproach – something she had been doing for years but just now affected him. She had seemed so _sad_ earlier and he realized he didn't want to see her like that ever again, least of all over something so stupid. "I love it," he murmured, closing his eyes and imaging saying those words a little differently.

"I could take a nap right now," Lucy breathed, her eyes drifting closed until a voice broke her from her doze.

"Did you find one you like?" the salesman suddenly appeared, bringing both of them from their moment of bliss.

A wave of surprise washed over Lucy, starting in her toes and working up to the top of her head. She wanted to bury her face in the bed and hide herself beneath blankets, but none of those things were available to her. "We have," Natsu answered for her with a smile as he sat up. "How much?"

Lucy's ears perked up at those words, feeling her heart fall like a lump into her stomach.

"Do you have a price limit?"

"Tell us the price first."

 _That a boy, Natsu,_ she praised him in her mind. She never would have thought he would be so good with a salesperson. He clearly deserved more credit than she gave him.

"90,000 jewels."

"That's more than one month's rent!" Lucy exclaimed as her entire being was filled with resentment. She didn't have that kind of money!

"Just think of how long this bed will last you," the salesman tried to soothe over her outburst. "When you think of it in terms of how long you should have the mattress and divide it into months, you will find the per month rate is actually rather low."

"What?" Natsu asked, immediately turning to Lucy for an explanation.

Finally rising to a sitting position, Lucy put a restraining and comforting hand on Natsu's shoulder. "It means the mattress is cheap per month when you look at how long it should last." She let her hand slip from his shoulder, her fingers sliding down his arm without thought until she felt him shiver beneath her touch. "But I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of money right now."

The ever-typical salesman drooped his head. "Very well then, I am sorry. I could show you some of our less expensive beds?"

"Hold on," Natsu interrupted, digging into the pockets of his baggy pants. "I have enough that should cover it."

"Natsu?"

Looking over at his blonde partner, Natsu smiled. "It _is_ for both of us, right?"

"If your boyfriend would let you pay for a bed like that all by yourself, you would deserve much better," the salesman commented dryly.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lucy cried, just as Natsu yelled, "She's not my girlfriend!"

Hearing their adamant denial, the salesman shrugged and took the jewels Natsu all but shoved into his hands. He waited patiently while Lucy dug around in her purse for the remaining balance. "Could have fooled me! My apologies, but why else would you be buying a bed together?"

 _That's none of your damn business!_ Lucy wanted to shriek. Instead, she kept her comments to herself as the man counted their jewels. Natsu had paid for more than half. She watched the arrogant salesman with her hands clenched into fists that shook until Natsu squeezed her shoulder gently. Not at all fazed by the tension radiating from the woman before him, the salesman looked up from the jewels and smiled. "Would you like to arrange for delivery? It is free with a purchase this large."

 _It better be,_ Lucy snapped in her head. "Would it be for today?" Natsu asked before she could say anything.

The salesman consulted a sheet before meeting Natsu's stern gaze. "There _is_ an extra fee for rush delivery."

"Do it," Natsu demanded, tossing him the extra jewels, leaving Lucy to stare at him with her mouth hanging open until the salesman handed her some paperwork to fill out. Natsu stood beside her, his arms folded across his chest defensively.

The salesman was either really good at his job, or oblivious, for as Lucy was filling out the delivery paperwork, he ignored Natsu's condescending glare and politely asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you today? Anything else you need?"

"No," Natsu immediately answered.

"Actually," Lucy answered at the same time, the two mages turning to look at each other in surprise. "We'll need some bedding. Do you carry anything here?"

Smiling, the salesman took the paperwork Lucy slid over to him and indicated the opposite end of the store. "You're in luck! We have an entire selection on this side of the store. It can be added to your delivery if you'd like, or you can take it now."

"Thank you," Lucy replied with a smile, falling in step behind the salesman as he led the way to the other side of the store. Natsu reluctantly followed, his brow furrowed in agitation with the salesman as he attempted to keep his eyes away from Lucy's legs.

"What do we need bedding for, anyway? Doesn't it come with it?"

Giggling, Lucy looked at him over her shoulder and shook her head. "Of course it doesn't."

Natsu lowered his gaze to the floor, recalling how soft Lucy's sheets were and how good they smelled. _That's because they smell like her,_ he admitted to himself, but he couldn't deny the softness. He practically considered it a luxury to have comfortable bedding. He didn't want to give that up! "Hey Luce," he asked, picking up the pace so he could walk beside her. "C-can we get the same kind you have now?"

Although his question was perfectly innocent, blood rushed to Lucy's cheeks, making her heart feel light and joyful. They had never been so open in discussing their sleeping arrangements before (other than when she vehemently denied him access to the bed and kicked him out). "You like them, Natsu?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low and avoid embarrassing him in front of the salesman.

Scratching the back of his neck, Natsu grunted and tried to appear disinterested. "I mean, get whatever you want." When their eyes met, he saw the mirth scarcely in check within hers, making his chest squeeze once more. "But yeah, I do," he finally admitted, quickly looking away.

Giggling, Lucy slipped her arms around his without thinking about it, allowing him to lead them as she held his arm captive between hers. While she felt Natsu tense beneath her touch, he didn't pull away, and in fact, he relaxed a moment later, looking at her from the corner of his eye with a soft smile. "Then let's get the soft ones. _If_ we can afford it," she cautioned.

Using his free hand, Natsu jiggled his pocket and a scarcely audible jingling sound could be heart. "Don't worry about that, Luce."

Her eyes widening, Lucy looked from the pocket of his loose-fitting pants, to his eyes, then back, then forth. "What do you mean by that?"

He smiled his wide toothy grin Lucy found so endearing. "I got it!"

Tears stung Lucy's eyes as she stopped and threw herself into Natsu's arms. He caught her, just like she knew he would, and pulled her closer. "Thank you, Natsu!" she breathed into his chest, closing her eyes at his closeness.

Taken by surprise by Lucy's sudden show of affection, Natsu nevertheless was quick to drop his cheek to the top of her head, the soft scent of her vanilla shampoo overpowering his senses. "It's the least I can do, Luce," he whispered, his eyes drifting closed, before he realized where they still were and quickly stepped back. "Now let's finish this up so we can get out of here."

Her cheeks pleasantly warmed and peppered with pink, Lucy continued to smile when they separated, immediately taking Natsu's hand once again. "Right!"

Once he showed them where the proper sized bedding was, the salesman thankfully left them alone once more, and Lucy wasted no time in opening the packages so Natsu could feel the material before they decided on two sets – one pink and one a pale yellow per Natsu's insistence. They also tracked down a few comforters to replace Lucy's favorite, which would no longer fit (but she would keep for the couch). When they approached the counter with their selections, the salesman eyed them over the color, making Lucy's hands clench into fists once more. Natsu was the calm one for a change, his firm hand gentle on her shoulder as he offered his silent support and encouragement. Arrangements were made to add the bedding to their existing delivery and they could not get out of the store fast enough.

It wasn't until they were out the store that Natsu let his irritation truly show. "Man, that guy was a jerk!"

"A jerk that thinks we're sleeping together," Lucy grumbled, and then slapped a hand over her mouth in shock, her feet shuffling to a stop. When she dared to look at Natsu, he was unfazed, looking at her with confusion evident in his furrowed brow once he realized she was no longer beside him.

"Well, we are, aren't we?" he asked with a simple shrug.

Lucy gasped at his answer, her entire face turning as red as Erza's hair until she took in the innocent expression in Natsu's eyes. She couldn't help but smile nervously. _Of course he wouldn't think that way…_ "I don't mean _that_ kind of sleeping together," she grudgingly admitted, feeling like her insides should be shriveling and melting at the same time. She wanted very much to disappear. _How the_ hell _did we end up in_ this _conversation?!_

"Well, what else would it," he started, and then realization dawned, his eyes going wide and his cheeks darkening against his tan skin. He suddenly had to avert his eyes as he scratched the back of his neck. "Ooooh," he breathed, his face growing even darker as images flashed in his mind. He coughed to hide his discomfort.

Not entirely sure what to make of his reaction, Lucy nevertheless had to fight the urge to laugh as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "Forget about him." She moved forward to come to Natsu's side, elbowing him with a smile. "Thank you, Natsu."

He looked at her with more than a little surprise. "You don't have to thank me."

"I couldn't have gotten the bed without you and you took care of that obnoxious salesman for me. I wasn't even planning on bringing you in the first place!"

He shrugged her words off with his signature grin, clapping her on the shoulder as they started walking once more. "Then it was a good thing I came along then, wasn't it?"

 _Makes more sense for him to come with me than Levy, since he sleeps in the bed and she doesn't,_ Lucy reluctantly admitted to herself. _And I think we both had fun doing this. I got to see a whole other side of him that I've never seen before…_ "Yes it was," she answered with an even wider smile. _I need to show him how much I appreciate this,_ she worried to herself as she tried to figure out what to do. There was the always-obvious choice, but she wanted to try something different, and as she debated, she watched him from the corner of her eye. _It's now or never, Lucy!_ Nearly jumping in her nervousness, she moved to her tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his cheek, still walking. It was a rough kiss, given their momentum, and she ended up closer to his mouth than she intended since he got surprised and turned toward her at the last moment. The resulting blush darkening his cheeks when she pulled away and stunned look in his eye made her heart soar and tighten and thud anxiously in her chest. "I couldn't have done any of it without you, Natsu."

 _Did she just kiss me?!_ "Luce," he breathed, resisting the urge to touch his cheek, which was still warm, the sensation of her touch lingering.

Her blush darkened and Lucy felt as though she was in danger of combusting. "I-I," she stuttered, suddenly waving her hands in front of her and not understanding why.

Something flashed in Natsu's eyes, the forest green depths momentarily lightening as his eyes fell to her lips. His hand was suddenly around her wrist and she suddenly found herself pulled against him, his other hand at the back of her neck as his lips descended on hers.

The first thought Lucy had as his lips pressed chastely against hers was, _oh, Mavis! Is he kissing me?!_ Then she was able to register that his lips were warmer and softer than she could have thought possible, even if they were slightly chapped, but he pulled back just as quickly as he pulled her to him, leaving his forehead gently touching hers.

 _Why the hell did I do that?! Shit!_ "I told you, you don't have to thank me," he murmured. "We're partners. It's what we do." At the way Lucy's eyes fell and her shoulders slumped, he quickly added, "Besides, I wanted to do it." _Just like I wanted to kiss you,_ he admitted only to himself.

She stared at him, shocked into utter silence and stillness. Much as he had wanted to, her fingertips came up to brush against her lips, still tingling from their kiss. She'd longed to know what it felt like to be kissed by him, but now that she knew, she wasn't sure it was such a good idea. What sort of Pandora's Box had they just opened? "Natsu," she breathed.

His hands slipped down to her waist, a ruthless smile spreading across his lips. "Maybe next time we should just tell him we are sleeping together so it won't be so embarrassing."

"Natsu!" she shrieked, pulling out of his grasp and stomping off to resume their trek home. "That's even _more_ embarrassing!"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"

She couldn't meet his eyes. Part of her was screaming for joy, reveling in the idea of his words ringing true, but the other part was screaming in resistance – that it was a bad idea to even _entertain_ such thoughts. "We'll be lucky enough as it is if that man doesn't start talking about us."

"People talk about us plenty as it is, Luce."

She was brought to a complete stop in the middle of the street again, turning around to look at Natsu in astonishment. "W-w-what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her voice scarcely above a harsh whisper.

Not understanding her concern, Natsu looked at her with a furrowed brow before he shrugged. "I hear it all the time."

"And w-what do they say?" She was almost too afraid to ask.

Suddenly realizing the dangerous territory they had wandered into _again_ , Natsu nervously cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. _Why did I have to bring_ that _up?!_ "Well," he began, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Lucy was looking up at him with wide, expectant eyes that made him feel like he was drowning. "Let's just go eat, Luce!" he decided, quickly changing the subject as he grabbed her hand and took off at a run down the street.

"Natsu!" she cried, scarcely able to keep up behind him. She smiled anyway. Maybe Levy had been on to something sending him bed shopping with her after all…

 _A/N: This is where I intended this story to end. I had meant for it to be a one-shot but it got too long to fit in one document on DeviantArt and I took longer to edit some parts than others so it was split up. I could leave it here and consider it complete, but there is room to continue if there is enough interest… As always, reviews and comments always welcome!_


	4. Lunch

_A/N: You asked for it, so here it is - sorry you had to wait so long! Thank you so much for all the favorites, reviews, and requests for more! This story has really hit it off and nothing makes me happier than reviews and faves! More notes at the end._

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Natsu dragged Lucy as far as he dared, his stomach leading the way, until she pulled on her captured arm, nearly ripping her hand from his grasp. His grip tightened in response, but he obediently slowed then stopped, looking at her over his shoulder. "What is it, Luce?"

Not for the first time, his pet name for her made a shiver make its way down her spine, but she pointedly ignored it. "Let's eat here," Lucy pointed with a smile.

He didn't need to look to know where they were – his nose told him long ago – he had simply ignored it because he knew Lucy wouldn't want to eat there. It used to be one of his favorite places to eat, still was, except he scarcely got to eat there anymore. It was a bar and grill, reminiscent of a dive bar, except it was _huge_. Their menu was large and expansive, but consisted largely of fried foods – something Lucy tried to avoid like the plague. Even Erza stayed away from the place, making it hard for him to find a reason to come eat here – he didn't like to eat alone anymore. The fact that Lucy was foregoing her usual dietary discretion for him was not lost on him and it made that strange fluttering sensation return to his gut as he smiled at her, his elongated canines showing in the afternoon light. "You sure?"

Her smile widened as she took the lead, still holding onto his hand. "Of course I am!" Smiling, Natsu allowed himself to be pulled along after his blonde partner, still reeling in pleasant surprise as they stepped into the dark establishment.

They had missed the lunch rush, but the place was far from deserted. The hostess that looked up at them from over the rim of her glasses smiled, but it was clear she was tired. Regardless, her amber eyes lit up when she noticed the Fairy Tail emblem on Natsu's shoulder. Her smile widened when she noticed the two wizards before her were holding hands. "Table for two?" she asked.

Lucy picked up on the woman's tone of voice and immediately released Natsu's hand with a quiet gasp. _Crap!_ Natsu raised an eyebrow and looked at her, but shrugged and answered truthfully. "Yep."

The hostess turned, her lavender hair flipping over her shoulder as she grabbed two menus, before turning back to them. "Please, follow me."

Her cheeks darkening, Lucy obediently followed the hostess, Natsu hot on her heels. _We were just talking about giving off the wrong impression,_ she berated herself, _and here I go, waltzing in here holding Natsu's hand like we're a couple! What was I thinking?!_ Once the hostess stopped, indicating the quiet booth, Lucy quickly ducked into the far side, allowing Natsu the other seat, his back toward the front door.

"Your server will be with you in a moment," the hostess beamed, placing the menus in front of them before retreating with another pleasant smile. In Lucy's mind, she lingered just a little bit too long.

Across the table, Natsu could easily read the annoyed look on Lucy's face because normally it was directed at him. "Luce?" he asked, flipping his menu open with an inquiring quirk to his eyebrow. His stomach was already growling in anticipation, his mouth watering.

The sound of his voice snapped her out of her inner thoughts, and Lucy visibly shook herself. "What?"

Now it was Natsu who was the distracted one, as Lucy watched him turn over his shoulder, his eyes in the direction of the front door – where the hostess stood talking with a male employee. His eyes narrowed, and he huffed before turning back around, his eyes flicking to hers before he averted them back to the menu. If she didn't know better, she'd swear his cheeks were darker than normal…

Lucy had an idea of what was going on but kept her mouth shut. _Are they talking about us?_ For the second time, she shook herself, determined not to ruin the decidedly pleasant mood they had found themselves in since the mattress store. Things were possibly changing between them, and she didn't want to risk souring it. "So, what's good here?" she asked lightly, perusing the menu. Most of the items were meaty and fried. _No wonder Natsu used to love eating here…_

Natsu smirked. "All of it."

Eyes rolled. "Well I can't afford to purchase everything on the menu, Natsu."

"Oh, so you're buying lunch?" he teased.

Now her eyes narrowed as she readied herself to kick him beneath the table. His eyes narrowed at the subtle way her body shifted, his body suddenly on high alert as he suspected a coming attack. His leg moved beneath the table to block her, just in case. "That is our tradition, isn't it?" she taunted right back.

Clearly missing the thinly veiled jab, Natsu beamed, his elongated canines showing once more in his wide toothy smile. "Well, yeah!"

They were interrupted by the arrival of their server, who looked upon them with knowing eyes. Lucy inwardly groaned. "Hi, my name is Enterica and I'll be taking care of you this afternoon. Can I start you two with something to drink?"

Natsu looked at Lucy, politely waiting for her to order first. It had taken quite a while for Erza to beat the habit into him – he was used to obeying his stomach, and his stomach was _demanding_ but he wasn't about to let the hard-earned habit slip now; especially because Lucy seemed to enjoy the "domesticated" gesture as much as she did. As expected, her eyes lingered on his a moment, their dark depths glistening in the dimly lit restaurant, before her cheeks flushed and she quickly looked down at the menu. He didn't even try to suppress the smile that crept across his lips at her sudden fluster.

 _Oh, Mavis! This is suddenly feeling like a date! Is it a date?!_ She stared at the menu without really seeing it, and when she felt she was about to take too long to pick something, she blurted, "I'll take a glass of white wine, please."

Natsu raised an eyebrow but said nothing as his eyes danced. Lucy was pointedly avoiding his gaze, not looking up until she heard him order, "Fire whiskey for me."

"Got it." Enterica smiled. "I'll be back in a few to take your order."

Their eyes met from over the table and Lucy realized she both liked and feared the fire in Natsu's eyes. "So, we're drinking, huh?" he asked mischievously. She smiled, the movement tighter than it usually was. _Why is she acting so nervous? Is it because I kissed her?! Was that wrong?! She_ did _kiss me first… Sort of…_ His mind started racing, trying to understand what she might be thinking. Her next words set him at ease.

"Well, it seemed like we should be celebrating a little bit, right?"

He hesitated before answering, his eyes narrowing as they searched hers. There was no hint of deceit in her voice, no hidden meaning. She was being honest, which made the band that had been tightening around his chest all day suddenly that much tighter. He smiled anyway. "Yeah."

She returned his smile, some of her nervousness dissipating as she went back to looking at the menu. There were so many things to choose from! She really had no idea what to eat and wasn't going to trust Natsu's opinion either. No doubt he was going to order at least three things… Even as she perused the menu, occasionally sneaking glances at the fire dragon slayer sitting across from her, she became aware of him fidgeting. It was subtle, and if she weren't so in tune to him thanks to their moment earlier, she might have missed it, but his eyes kept shifting. He would look at the menu, then off to something in the restaurant, then back at the menu. His head rarely moved, just his eyes, but she could sense the tension increasing in his body in the way his shoulders bunched. The air surrounding them grew warmer as he cocked his head slightly to the side, his eyes on some spot in the distance, as though he were concentrating.

"Natsu?" she whispered, her brow furrowed with worry.

"What?" he jumped, her gentle voice startling him.

She looked at him like she was trying to dissect him. "What are you doing?"

He swallowed. "Nothing."

The menu snapped onto the table as her eyes narrowed into dangerous daggers. She could always tell when he was lying. "Natsu," she warned.

"All right!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up. He knew better than to argue with that tone. "I'm listening."

Her interest piqued, she leaned forward. "Listening to what?"

Their server returned then, placing their drinks down and causing both of them to lean back, Natsu clearing his throat nervously. He looked up at the woman with piercing eyes, unsure of how he felt about what he'd heard her and her coworkers saying. _I thought people realized dragon slayers have superior senses,_ he mused as Enterica turned to Lucy.

"What can I get you?"

Still not really having any idea, Lucy asked for sushi and a salad – the healthiest options she could find. Just as she suspected, Natsu ordered four different things, the majority of them meat, and grinned as the wide-eyed Enterica took their menus. "She's probably wondering where you put all of that," Lucy commented as their server retreated to the kitchen. "Hell, _I_ wonder where you put all of that."

His grin only growing, Natsu patted his toned abs. "I'm a fire dragon slayer, Luce! I burn right through it all!"

Lucy's first reaction was to argue with him, her mouth opening to say something, when she stopped. It made perfect sense! His metabolism was probably very high thanks to all the heat his body generated and used when he used his magic. _No wonder he's so hungry after fighting,_ she realized, surprised it had taken her so long to figure it out. Natsu took note of her stunned silence and shrugged, taking a healthy drink from his fire whiskey. "I can't believe I didn't realize that before!" she murmured, not afraid to admit her faults to him. He was her best friend after all.

He smiled, watching her take a sip of her wine. "Weirdo."

She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled; relieved some of the tension that had suddenly cropped up was dissipating. _Please don't let this get weird… I don't want this to get weird,_ she chanted in her mind. "So?" she asked, waiting for him to look at her again. "What were you hearing?"

Natsu groaned inwardly and dropped his head back against the backrest of the booth. It was awkward to _hear_ let alone _say!_ "It's not important."

Scowling, Lucy twirled her wine glass. "Obviously it is, or you wouldn't have been so distracted."

"I wasn't distracted," he tried lying again.

Lucy's scowl caused him to snap his mouth shut. He slunk down in the booth, his hands on his tumbler glass of fire whiskey, his eyes only on the contents within after getting enough of Lucy's stern glare. "You hear things all the time, Natsu," she chided. "I don't think I've ever seen you so distracted over it."

"They're just talking," he mumbled.

Her curiosity immediately aroused once more, Lucy leaned forward on the table, bracing herself on her elbows now that they weren't going to be interrupted. "What are they talking about that has your panties in such a bunch?" she teased, her lips pulled back into a twisted smile when Natsu's dark eyes flashed up to hers.

Pointed teeth ground together so tightly, Lucy could practically hear Natsu's jaw groan. It was so unusual for her to see him anxious, that she honestly wasn't sure what to make of it. "They think we're on a date." The words tumbled out of his mouth so quickly, Lucy stared at him blankly a moment before realization dawned in her eyes.

"Oh," she breathed lamely. Dark eyes flicked to hers once more, the tight band even more constricting in his chest. Somehow Lucy's reaction to the gossip-monger's words meant a lot… Her eyes left his, trailing over his shoulders to where the idle hostess and servers were chatting (or at least had been). She seemed to search the area for a moment before looking back at the obviously uncomfortable fire dragon slayer in front of her. "What else were they saying?"

 _Damn it,_ he grumbled, but he couldn't be surprised. Of course Lucy would notice his answer didn't match with the amount of time he spent listening, or with his amount of discomfort. He tried to find solace in her reaction to his answer – that she didn't seem the least bit bothered by it – but then again, why should she? It was just gossip. Regardless, he didn't _want_ to talk about what he was hearing. "Luce," he whined, dropping his head back against the back of the booth again. "Don't make me say it," he pled.

Her hand was immediately on his, her fingers intertwining with his in a way that made his heart freeze in his chest before racing wildly. "It's just gossip, Natsu," she reminded him, partly surprised by his persistent reluctance. "How bad can it be?"

The sideways glance he cast at her, his eyes slightly widened in exasperation, his lips parted, gave her an insight. The look caused a shiver to make its way down her spine despite herself, a tremor that Natsu noticed in her hand. "It gets worse," he cautioned.

Blonde hair spilled over her shoulder as she cocked her head to the side. "I can handle worse. I deal with you and Gray every day, don't I?"

His eyes narrowed in mock anger, but a smile toyed with the corners of his lips. Without realizing it, his grip tightened on her hand as he moved, bringing their hands together more comfortably across the table. Sucking in a deep breath, he indicated who he was talking about with his head and decided to go for it. "The hostess when we walked in was telling the others how _cute_ of a couple we are, which made the other two waitresses speculate on whether or not we're actually dating." Lucy's eyebrow quirked up at his use of the word _speculate,_ but she chose not to comment. "This sparked a huge conversation over how they can't believe we're _finally_ dating or that maybe we're trying to date in secret and just hiding it very poorly."

Lucy's lips pursed to the side as she took this in. "Okay," she breathed, still not quite understanding why he was so uncomfortable, until he continued to speak. "I didn't realize our dating lives were so important."

Natsu grunted, clearly annoyed. "You'd be surprised." Without skipping a beat, he continued. "The guy with the green hair," he indicated with his head two guys off to Lucy's right, "said some things about you I'd rather not repeat," he growled, his hand tightening around hers as warmth suddenly surrounded their joined hands. It was comforting and protective, causing Lucy to look up at Natsu with wide eyes, her lips parted in surprise. Without her consent, her heart started pounding in her chest, and to her dismay, Natsu's eyes returned to her at the sound.

"Oh?" she asked, lamely trying to hide her reaction to his possessiveness.

The moment Lucy's heart rate increased, Natsu caught the change, but didn't understand the cause. "Yeah," he grumbled, the light flashing in his emerald eyes once more. Still not releasing the tight grip on her hand, he continued, indicating a small group of girls in the back of the room. Lucy had to tactfully look over her shoulder to see them. "They're jealous of your hair and," he paused, his eyes darting down before he could stop himself. Thankfully, Lucy was looking over her shoulder at the time and missed the dip, but she did turn back to look at him in time to see him swallow nervously. "And other things."

A sly smile spread across Lucy's lips as she squeezed his hand, oblivious to what he was actually talking about. "I'm sure that's not all they're jealous about," she teased.

Natsu's mouth fell open as he stared at her dumbly. "What?"

Rolling her eyes, Lucy fixed him with her eyes, sparkling in the darkness despite their dark color. "Come on, Natsu. You were blushing. Tell me what else they said. They said something about you, didn't they?"

 _That's not all they said,_ he grumbled, but Lucy was right. Despite himself, he felt his ears grow warm as he dropped his gaze. He wasn't good with stuff like this! He found it all too awkward and _weird._ But this was Lucy, and he couldn't keep things from her. "They did," he reluctantly admitted.

"Like?" she prodded, leaning forward even more. She had a good idea of what they _would_ say – thoughts she had far too often herself – but she wanted to hear confirmation.

He groaned again, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Luce! Don't make me say it!"

"Oh, come on! I would think you'd love the chance to brag about this!"

He shook his head, the warmth in his ears spreading to his cheeks. "Nope."

"Say it and I'll let you get whatever dessert you want."

Her response came so quickly, he was taken completely off guard, actually recoiling some in his shock. "What?"

A coy smile spread across Lucy's lips as she cocked her head to the side again. "Come on, Natsu. You know me. I want to know everything they're saying, and if you tell me, I'll buy you _whatever_ dessert you want. No arguments."

It was a tempting bribe – _very tempting._ But the bribe wasn't his only problem. He had trouble resisting her when she looked at him like that, with her hair cascading over her shoulder and her lips just gently curved into a smile that he rarely saw when she was looking at anyone else. _Curse you, Lucy,_ he ground out in his head, dropping his eyes to their still joined hands on the table. How long had they been holding hands? Even as the thought ran through his head, a server commented on it and he cringed. "They've noticed we're holding hands," he quietly admitted, silently grateful for the opportunity to change the topic. Lucy's soft gasp brought his eyes up to hers, but she didn't pull her hand away. Instead, her eyes locked onto his. "They're rattling off theories on how we got together," he breathed, his eyes taking on a shine that Lucy hadn't seen before. Without conscious thought, his thumb traced over the back of her knuckles and he watched as a gentle blush blossomed across her cheeks.

 _Oh, Mavis! They've noticed! What do I do? Should I pull my hand back?! But he's looking at me like that… I… I can't…_ Her thoughts in turmoil, Lucy had to swallow before she could speak. Once more her heart was pounding so forcefully beneath her ribs, she was surprised the entire restaurant couldn't hear it. Her mouth felt dry and she suddenly couldn't take a deep enough breath. _I shouldn't have asked him so many questions,_ she breathed inwardly, realizing her fatal mistake. "Ok, I see why you were so fidgety," she murmured, admitting defeat as she dropped her gaze.

He hesitated just a moment, his thumb making one final trek across the back of her knuckles. He found himself torn between pulling his hand away and keeping it there, wanting nothing more than to prolong their contact, but also not wanting to make Lucy uncomfortable, or give the gossip-mongers any more ammunition. "You still want me to continue the play-by-play?"

Smirking, Lucy shrugged. "I don't know how you do it, Natsu."

"Do what?"

"You hear so much. How do you keep yourself from going mad, hearing everyone's conversations?"

It was his turn to shrug, warmth emanating from his hand once more as he thought of his answer. He was grateful the warmth hadn't come from his face, but perhaps this was worse, since Lucy could feel it from his hand. "I normally don't pay much attention, so I miss it unless I focus."

"You can do that?" she gaped.

A proud smile graced his features, a smile that immediately warmed Lucy's heart. "Of course!" With a quick sniff, he realized their food was coming and grinned. "Food's coming!"

Lucy was the one to finally break their embrace across the table's surface, slipping her fingers from his with agonizing slowness. Natsu immediately relaxed his grip when he felt her gentle tug, but the way she withdrew her hand, dragging her fingers along his, made a tremor travel down his spine, something he noticed in her as well. The whole time, their eyes never left the other, and it was with startling clarity that Natsu realized just how much he wanted to kiss her again.

"Here we are!" Enterica broke the spell Natsu had fallen under as she carefully set the tray down next to their table in order to unload Natsu's massive amount of food. Natsu paid her no mind, his eyes instead glued to the blonde before him – the blonde who was suddenly downing her glass of wine.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you enjoyed this much-asked for continuation! And yes, there will be **at least** one more chapter to this. These chapters are a lot shorter than my chapters usually are, that's why. I guess this must be completely resolved... ;) I just can't give you a good idea on a timeline, but I promise it will happen and there are ideas already in place. I hope this answers your questions to what people were saying. Let me know if you want to hear **more** about that, hehe._

 _As always, I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. They all belong to Hiro Mashima._


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